requires us to experience that culture in
context, rather than simply memorizing
facts or imitating stereotypes.

Cross-cultural competency also
means being able to live in different
cultures and move across different societies fluently. In the globalized world, it
is impossible to be competent in all
world cultures, but it is essential to be
open to new and different cultures.
Proficiency in foreign languages is
essential. Today, many education
systems teach foreign languages for

courses, which typically have more of a
linguistic focus. Language arts courses
should familiarize students with literary
works, film productions, and art from
countries that have not traditionally
been part of the curriculum. Science
courses should address such urgent
issues as global climate change and
infectious disease (see “The Science
Students Need to Know,” on p. 28 of
this issue). Social studies should include
content about economic globalization
and its social and moral consequences

In the globalized world, it is essentialto be open to new and different cultures.

economic reasons, thus focusing only
on competency in communication.
Although this is important, language
also serves as an insightful window into
the “shared beliefs, values, customs,
behaviors, and artifacts” of a society.
Foreign language teaching can shoulder
the responsibility for helping students
understand cultures.

What Global Education
Looks Like
To help students develop these understandings, schools and teachers must
shift from a locally oriented curriculum
to a globally oriented one. Foreign
languages should be part of the
curriculum for every student, and
schools need to offer languages early,
preferably starting in the primary
grades. The content of those courses
should be more culturally targeted than
most of today’s foreign language

as well as the causes and dangers of
human conflicts.

A globally oriented education should
not stop at imparting knowledge. It
should include significant experiences
with “others.” Coursework should
provide students with opportunities to
interact with people around the globe to
emphasize our interconnectedness.
Schools could develop partnerships
with schools in other countries to
enable students to collaborate on global
issues. Programs such as international
study tours, student and teacher
exchanges, and global cultural events
are also excellent ways to help students
develop global competencies.
1

Citizens Without Borders
For the global village to be a happy and
prosperous place for all its residents, all
people must accept the fact that their
well-being is intricately interconnected

To learn more about how globalization is changing education, see the online-only September EL article “Leading for Global Competency” by Fernando
M. Reimers at www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership
/sept09/vol67/num01/ Leading_for_Global_Competency.aspx
EL online

with and dependent on others. They
must understand and be willing to
tackle common problems facing the
village. They must treat one another as
equals. They must try to understand
and appreciate one another’s beliefs,
values, behaviors, and customs. Finally,
they must be able to talk to one another,
using a common language.

This is not an easy task because
schools have historically been local entities. They are locally funded, and they
typically consider their students as citizens of their local communities, be
those communities cities or nations,
whose purposes they are asked to serve.

In this view, globalization becomes a
force that brings competition to the
local community. Thus, schools tend to
work on ensuring that their students
can compete with their foreign counterparts. So they pay much attention to
how they stack up against other schools,
particularly those in other nations, in
the traditional subjects, such as math,
science, and literacy. Moreover, the local
view leads schools to reinforce the local
mind-set, which asks students to judge
events on the basis of their effect on the
local communities or on themselves.

The task is not easy, but the stakes are
high. The survival of the human race
hinges on the degree to which we can
learn to live together harmoniously in
this tiny village where resources are
limited and unequally distributed. We
have invented enough tools to wipe
ourselves off the surface of the earth
many times over. We have also caused
enough damage to this planet we call
home that unless we take immediate
collaborative action, we may soon be
rendered homeless.

1The Asia Society provides guidelines for
educators wishing to promote global competence in their students. Readers can find a
number of helpful publications on this topic
at http://internationaled.org.

References

Baily, M. N., & Lawrence, R. Z. (2005,
February). Don’t blame trade for U.S. job
losses: A new look at U.S. trade and